Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1887-03-25
farmers' Column.
Give fools their gold * h knaves their power
Let fortunes bubbles rise and fail;
Who sovs a field or trains a flower.
Or plants a tree. is more than all.
SeaSonable Hints.

The approach of spring brings to
our minds thoughts of our trees and
plants; and although in some sections
it is too early to attempt work in the
fruit garden, few hints will be op-
perfume, and perhaps help some reader
to reap better results the coming sea
son than ever before. 1t is presumed
that last fall the straw berry bed was
covered with coarse manure and straw,
the raspberry canes bent to the ground
and held in position by dirt, and a
mound of earth built up around the
base of the fruit trees.
If this has not been done, the reader
need not be surprised to find some of
his trees and plants in poor condition
after hard winter. The present winter
has been a severe one for trees and
plants, comparatively little snow in
very cold weather.
If the plants and trees were protected
during the winter, as suggested above,
the first work in the spring, after the
frost has left the ground, is to remove
this mulch of straw and level off the
dirt which was heaped around the
trees. 1t will be seen we emphasize
the words ''after the frost has left the
ground" This is particularly applica.
BILE to awberry beds. If the mulch
is removed before the frost is out of
the ground the action of this frost as
it is leaving the earth will cause the
plants to "heave"; that is, be forced up
somewhat, and as a consequence the
roots disturbed, which, of course, pre-
vents its rapid spring growth.
The writer has always found it a
good plan, after the mulch has been
removed, to spread liberal quantity
Of manure between the rows and work
it thoroughly in the soil. A liberal
dressing of manure should also be ap-
piled to the raspberry, currant and
gooseberry plants and between the
rows. Trees must also receive their
share Of fertilizer.
In brief, the orchard and small fruit
garden should be put in the best pos
sible condition by cultivation of the
soil and the application Of fertilizers.
Planting. "A few remarks on mis-
takes in planting and how to avoid
them, may not be amiss in this con-
nection. In every planting season, be-
ginners especially experience a vast
deal of difficulty in setting out tress
and plants properly. When stock is
received frcm distant nursery, it will
be found some of the roots are bruised
and broken in digging; these roots
should be cut off just above the bruise,
and the Stronger of the tap-roots short
ened somewhat. By this method Of
root pruning we give number Of
fbrous which grow from the severed
ends of the larger roots and form the
life of the tree.
A fundamental principle Of planting
is to have the hole sufficiently large to
receive the roots spread out in nat
ural position, without crowding. Here
in lies the cause of the majority Of fail
nres. 1t simply requires little COM
mon sense to see, that if the roots of a
tree or plant are crowded into hole
much too small for them, that from
their position, punched and matted, it
is next to impossible for them to grow
the result is the tree or plant dies.
When the hole is dug properly the
tree may BE set in it and the fine dirt
work around the roots with the fingers,
the other soil is then thrown in, and
after the hole is filled up, the earth
must be firmly packed around the tree.
Never under any circumstances place
manure next to the roots Of trees or
plants. it burns the roots to such de-
gree that the tree or plant in nine
cases out of ten is lost. After the
tree is planted, the branches should be
cut back to give it god shape. Small
fruit plants can generally be best
pruned after planting.
The canes should be cut back about
one-third, keeping in mind the good
shape of the bush. 1t is good plan,
after planting, to scatter a liberal
quantity of manure over the ground
between the rows. This will serve as
moisture, and materially assist the
growth. A little care and observance
of the directions glearned from this
column, will enable any one to set out
trees and plants with scarcely single
loss.-GoE. K. KNAPP in New York